As first reported here on Saving Country Music, Curb Records is releasing a new album from Hank Williams III that includes outtakes from his first two solo albums, Risin’ Outlaw from 1999, and Lovesick, Broke & Driftin’ from 2002. The album has now been made available for pre-order through Amazon and is entitled Long Gone Daddy. It will be released on April 17th, 2012.

Hank3 entered into a 6 album contract with Curb in the late 90”²s after a child custody suit and a judge forced him to get a “real job”. Curb was able to stretch Hank3”²s album count to 7 by releasing Hillbilly Jokerlast year, a “hellbilly” album Curb initially rejected, but released after Hank3 had fulfilled his contract at the end of 2010. Long Gone Daddy will bring the total to 8 albums Curb squeezed out of the 6 album contract.

The title track is likely the version of the original Hank Williams song that first appeared on the Hank Williams Timeless tribute album put out by Lost Highway Records in 2001. The original “If The Shoe Fits” appeared on Hank3’s first solo album Risin’ Outlaw, and “The Sun Comes Up” was a standard of Hank3’s early live sets and appeared on a Live From Scotland bootleg that was recorded by the BBC. “‘Neath a Cold Grey Tomb of Stone” is likely another re-purposed track from the very first album Hank III appeared on from Curb called Three Hanks. “This Ain’t Montgomery” includes Alabama recording artist Joey Allcorn.

This newest album will again leave Hank3 fans conflicted if they should respect an ongoing Curb Records boycott that has now stretched to fans of Tim McGraw, who along with many other artists, has had their issues with Curb, or purchase the new material from one of their favorite artists. Hank3 suggested that fans steal, copy, and bootleg Hillbilly Joker, which had already been in circulation as a bootleg years before Curb released it, but that did not stop the album from charting in the top 10 on Billboard. And unlike Hillbilly Joker, this Long Gone Daddy album includes some material never heard by the public before.

61 Comments

selfreliable
February 15, 2012 @
2:25 pm

I wanna state that I am being a devil’s advocate here and do not mean to step on any toes with this comment. I see the point in boycotting and being mad at Curb for the Hillbill Joker situation, and for the court battles et cetra, but isn’t this album coming out more of a factor that Hank signed a bad contract that gave Curb all the rights to his songs? He agreed to those terms when he signed on and now he is paying the price for such a deal. Labels have been doing stuff like this since they began, that is why we see so many greatest hits albums from bands, its purely labels making money of an artist that left. Again, not trying to start trouble or anything, just wondering what you guys thought of it presented that way.

I think the point here is that III recorded all this stuff and Curb refused to release it. Now III is no longer on the label Mike Curb is being a dick and releasing shit that should of been released 10+ yrs a go. I will get it but i damn sure am not paying for it!!

yea he knew what he was getN into and believed cUrb to be as stand up as they required III to be, iN all they delayed his sucsess and soured part of his apple/now he has that taste gone and he’s is blowN it up!!

He agreed to the terms of a 6 album contract. Then Curb started rejecting material, albums and specific songs, to the point where they have stretched that 6 album contract to 8. It is not only wrong and immoral, it is illegal, and that is the exact thing Curb tried with Tim McGraw, and recently lost in court over. Yes, labels have been screwing artists over for years, and Curb Records is one of the most notorious, but that doesn’t make it right. And furthermore, Hank3 talked at length about why he signed that contract in “Family Tradition, Three Generations of Hank Williams”, saying he trusted his manager Jack McFadden and got screwed. Hank3 never read the contract, none of us would be able to decipher a modern recording contract. I’m not saying Hank3 is without blame, but Curb has done this to many, if not the majority of it’s artists. I find it hard to say Hank3 is crying wolf, or doesn’t have a right to be pissed. And me saying that some fans are having to face a decision here is not my opinion, it’s a observation based comments from fans of Hank3, Tim McGraw, and others.

I havent read that book yet and this is the first I became aware of him saying he didnt read the contract and trusted his manager to protect him. I can see how he would sign the deal when his manager is telling him its good and he knows nothing of contracts and legal terms. He trusted someone and got screwed hard on it. Like I said, I wasnt trying to work anyone up or anything, just trying to take a look at this from a different angle. A big issue of this album is the tracks as some have pointed out. We got one song off an album that Curb put out, a “shuffle remix” of a track and a track that was put out on a comp that honored his father. That knocks this down to 7 songs they had laying around on the cutting floor. Three of those songs appear to be cover songs. So we are getting 4 unreleased Hank originals on an album priced at 14 bucks. Sadly, if this comes out on vinyl, I will be picking it up.

It will be interesting to see if Hank says anything about this. Since the divorce from Curb, he has been pretty quiet. Even for putting out 3 albums on one day he didnt do much press for it. Dare I say he seems to much happier than he has been in years past?

I was under the impression that the terms of 3’s deal stated that any content created in the time before the deal expired was owned by Curb. I got a ton of love and respect for 3, but saying he was fucked because he signed a deal he didn’t understand or trusted a manager he shouldn’t seems unreasonable to me. Curb sucks, but the majors have been pullin this shit since time out of mind. It sucks for him, but he got himself there too.

They must really be trying to stretch material over there at Curbjob. “Neath A Cold Grey Tomb of Stone” was already previously released on the Three Hanks: Men With Broken Hearts album over a decade and a half ago. Figures.

No conflict here. I’ll get it, but sure won’t be paying for it. Most of those tracks many of us already have. Just like the ‘This Ain’t Country’ album, they’ve been floating around on the web for years.

Ill buy it I don’t give a fuck…..like I’ve said before I’ve purchased enough III merch /3bay/ direct ebay things he’s gotten plenty of $$$$ from me. Yes I have 90%one of these songs, but I like the artwork and enjoy liner notes. Fuck what’s moral or immoral, its just the way the games goes…….

I can respect that. I think the point with Hank3 though is not how much money he gets from it, but how much Curb does, and he doesn’t like the idea of his art propping up a company that continues to manipulate artists. This may be something people decided it’s not their problem to worry about, but for some it is. That is where the moral dilemma for some comes in.

I’m not sure what to think of this. I think tons of artists run into this. I think 6 studio albums was the contract (and that’s what they did)…but with most labels they reserve the right to release b-side, greatest hits, etc… stuff that was recorded under their contract. It’s funny they basically rejected one studio album (which I guess qualifies it as b-side never used on an “official” album material).

I mean if he didn’t officially read his own contract that’s really his bad. Maybe the manager thought it looked good (or was standard business for a for a lot of country artists). I know artist bring in people to help with contracts, but they should always flip through it and make sure they 100% know what they are getting themselves into. Labels always reserve the right to reject music for a variety of reasons and they also reserve the right to find that music very valuable and releasable later on in the artist career.

Side-note The artwork for this is actually really cool. I also think some of these releases are confusing for casual Hank III fans who see all of these as “new” albums on shelves.

Well, so far we haven’t seen any “Greatest Hits” and I imagine we will, but nobody is counting those against his contract yet. We’re talking about a full length original album, and a mostly original album. And I can’t stress enough, Hank3 is not by far the only artist this is happening with. Tim McGraw was in court mere months ago for this exact same thing. It’s also happened to Leann Rimes, Clay Walker, and on and on and on.

And as far as him reading his own contract, no lay person is ever expected to be able to decipher a modern day recording contract with a major label. Go back and look at a picture of Hank III in 1997. You think he’d be able to plow through the fine print at a tender age with ADD and stoned out of his gourd? He paid someone good money to do it, and got screwed. So did Tim McGraw, and really, all the contract issues are irrelevant because Curb continuously breaks them which has been found in a court of law with many artists, including Hank3 over Straight to Hell.

I bet you are right. We will probably see greatest hits. It’s a shame to see some of this music exploited the way it has been.

On his age and situation I don’t expect the normal average person to be able to go over a contract the way a lawyer does…but to be fair he could have at least peaked at it. His condition with drugs and ADD could have also impaired who he hired to handle this stuff. I mean in 1997 Hank III was like 25 that’s pretty old in standards of where you’re at in your youth. I mean at 25 I know I knew a lot about the way the world works and how people can deceive you. I think overall he was probably just too messed up in general to make good decisions and in the end he was taken advantage off.

If Curb is breaking contract with him he should be able to win against them…but if they aren’t then ultimately we’ll probably see more releases like this until they have tapped out the unreleased stuff they have. It’s a double-edged sword because as a fan I want to hear it and am glad it’s coming out. On the opposite side the business of it all is just being handled terribly.

Odd side-note when I was checking on his age it’s crazy to think this year Hank III will be 40.

Yeah you are 100% right. I’d never seen the Eric Church artwork they basically could be the same artwork. I still think it looks cool…but seeing that it definitley doesn’t look original and feels recycled.

i looked at this eric church link and just about puked…..i can’t believe this. The “art” is way worse than what mike crud is doing with the music. the SAME stinking art for eric church on the the album that curb is putting out as a vendetta against Shelton……and payback is what this is all about….now it’s coming from more than one direction. A collusion with evil is sickening, disrespectful and a sell out move.

That’s the Curb scheme, and they’ve done it over and over. They call something trash and unreleasable, reject it, shelve it, while artists continue to make new material to fulfill their contracts, and then once they fulfill their contracts, they release it anyway, basically proving their own lies. It’s just like with Tim McGraw’s “Emotional Traffic” album. They said the music was “not topical” and that it was unreleasable and they needed a whole new album from him. Yet when they lost in court, they began releasing singles and when the album was released it hit #1 in the charts. Pretty good for music they called bad.

“Shelton Hank Williams III I hope you Hellbilly’s and Hellbetty’s notice the other 2 guys I stood by when they were nothin are now Curb records alter boys! I hope ya’ll dont waste your hard earned dollers on there backstabbin bs either…”

Good to see that Joey Allcorn has cleared this whole thing up by releasing this statement. I knew that having 3’s name on the credits would involve some kind of contractual BS with Curb.

Considering the response 3 gave a while ago (posted above), I take it that this is more contract stuff that he hasn’t bothered to read…

“However, in order to obtain Curb’s permission to legally use his name in association with my project, a release was signed granting the label reciprocal rights to include the master recording of that song on any two future albums, and stating that no consent would be required by either party in order for that to take place. To that end, I was notified in January of this year that Curb Records would be exercising it”™s right under that contract/release and was planning to include “This Ain’t Montgomery” on “Long Gone Daddy.” No permission was granted because again, legally, none was required under the terms of the contract.”

Couple simple things here.
“Hank3 entered into a 6 album contract with Curb in the late 90”²s after a child custody suit and a judge forced him to get a “real job”.”

Enough with the Hank3 had to sign the deal with Curb, or he didn’t read the contract.

Signing something you don’t read is on you! “He didn’t understand it and trusted his manager”
Do you feel the same sympathy for Mike Tyson or NBA/NFL stars of the past that are broke now? They have the same excuse.
He signed a record deal. He was an employee of Curb for that contract. Curb might be an asshole, but nothing illegal. If it were illegal, then like Tim McGraw, the court would have ruled in favor of Hank3.

Wreck of the Old 97 was also previously released on the Johnny Cash tribute Dressed in Black from 2002. It features W.S. Holland on drums, Dave Roe on bass, Chuck Mead on guitar, and best of all Col. J.D. Wilkes on harmonica.

being shoved into a corner by a judge is one thing. signing something you probably shouldn’t have is another. you don’t get that ‘real’ job by dickering around with the fine print on a bad contract you end up back in front of the judge. a judge who’s now even less happy than he was before. a rock and a hard place come to mind. placate the judge and hope for the kindness of record producers. a hard sad lesson.

IMO Curb did screw him, but it seems to me when he relized this he decided to screw the fans with the albums Damn Right & Rebel Proud and Rebel Within. It is also my opinion that the albums he reliesed back in the summer were just as bad. I can honestly say if he hadn’t changed his style I’d still be on his side, but why should I suport an artist who isin’t makeing music I like anymore.

What’s wrong with DRRP and RW? I started listening to him on the bootleg Hellbilly Joker and then fell in love with the country stuff too. Guess that’s why if he is willing to sing it, I’m willing to listen.

I’m going to try my best to steal these songs (the ones I don’t already have), but i am gonna have to own them one way or another. Getting new songs from the lovesick broke and drifting era hank3 is like discovering original work from an artist thats past away. Don’t get me wrong, I love his new stuff too but I still find myself wishing for just one more true sad, lovesick, traditional sounding hank3 album and this is probably as close as I’m ever going to come to it. So while I agree that it is beyond fucked the way that curb is releasing this thing, its hard not to get exited over it.

I’m actually pretty excited about this release. I haven’t really been that enamored with anything 3 has released since Lovesick, Broke and Drifting, which is still my favourite album by far. I’ll order it from Amazon. There, I said it.

I wonder if they have the rights to release other tracks Hank has appeared on , the zz top tribute , wayne the train ans 3 doing juke joint jumpin , the johnny paycheck tribute , the 2 songs on melvins crybaby album , okie from muskogee and ramblin man , i bet there will be a 9th album,.. curb is such scum

I am a firm believer in paying an artist for their art as directly as possible. Major labels have gotten away with screwing musicians over for so long it has become commonplace. WTF do a bunch of suits in a boardroom know about art, or music? Lets face it all they see is dollar signs. And all Yall leaving comments sayin how you are just going to go buy the stuff from curb anyway. I hear alot of excuses for laziness. Trust me when I say no doubt YOU are part of the problem. Things have gotten so meesed up to the point where it is today, because of attitudes like this one:

“Ill buy it I don”™t give a fuck”¦..like I”™ve said before I”™ve purchased enough III merch /3bay/ direct ebay things he”™s gotten plenty of $$$$ from me. Yes I have 90%one of these songs, but I like the artwork and enjoy liner notes. Fuck what”™s moral or immoral, its just the way the games goes”¦”¦.”

That’s like saying it’s ok for these corporate jerkoffs to take over and manipulate REAL ARTISTS. I don’t think I have ever seen ANYONE in music bust their ass harder than HANK III. And until recently, Who has been making out on that deal??? Curb and his Yuppie cronies who woulnd’t know what real country music is if you hit them in the face with a fiddle. (sounds like a fun time to me). I guess the old phrase still rings true. If you aren’t part of the solution, you are part of the problem. More so in this case here!!!

And therein lies the problems with getting on with a label – whether the are Indie or Major. Each one gives ou that “x” amount of albums to record but no one reads the fine print stating the label has the right and contractual authorit to reject any that they don’t want to release. The same thing happened to Hank Jr – he signed with Curb (and it was still Mike Curb) to a multi-album deal in the 60’s. That is why he has a box set out call The MGM Recordings…Hank Jr also had albums rejected and it took him forever to fulfill that contract and get off Curb Records…

Here is the deal… I will be waiting in line for this cd. i will pay cash and hell, i may even buy a couple. i know i will wear it out pretty quick.

ITS ABOUT DAMN TIME WE GET A COUNTRY CD FROM III AGAIN.

I could not wait for him to get free from curb. i thought he was finally gonna come around and make music for the people that was there for him in the beginning.. the people with flannel shirts and mud on their boots. we work hard for a living and like to have songs that represent us country folks. his last 6 albums (if thats what you want to call them, have been shit. after straight to hell, thats where his music went.
so yes. i will pay for this cd as it may be the last country album i buy bearing the III

I for one love everything from Straight to Hell and back, it took me a few listens to get into the 3 after, but ive heard bad shit about the albums released with A Ghost to a Ghost but I haven’t heard them yet. I want to hear what this newest one sounds like though it just depends on the day on how I’ll get it. I do have to say that I’d love hear subjects that haven’t been on his earlier albums, just hoping for different emotions.

I bought Ghost to a Ghost same time as the Lovesick album. Although I loved Lovesick more I also really enjoyed the first album of Ghost to a Ghost. Thought it was hillbilly hilarious. Some seemed very mystical like the song Ghost to a Ghost or hilarious like trooper holler. It also introduce me to Ray Lawrence jr, which album I bought afterwards and enjoyed it. Ray Lawrence being in it showed a good gentle country roots to the album balanced out with his crazy moonshiner on a rampage other songs. The second album I couldn’t get into with too many overly long boring sound effects. I love progressive rock with 10 minute instrumentals but I could not get into the second album seem like 10 minute cricket noises. I still respect it all the same though. Just not my thing. If I been a Hank 3 fan since the beginning I may see the frustration but with the crap I hear from other pop country artists to me Hank 3 is the big middle finger to their sissy man skirts.

I just previewed the album on Itunes and its very little new material that has never been heard.There are two that are new to me, hags “The bottle let me down”, and “The wind blew cold”. Everything else has been out there for a while. I mean “What They Want Me To Be” is “Trashville” same lyrics and everything with just an electric guitar dubbed over! And the shuffle mix of “If the shoe fits” is just plain stupid.

I was excited to buy this album, just because it’s Hank III, and of course I’m let down. The first album I had of his was back in ’06 with Straight to Hell, and I fell in love with him and that sound. Unlike a lot of you folks who liked Hank III’s first 3 albums the best, I live by Straight to Hell, Rebel Within, Hillbilly Joker, Damn Right Rebel Proud, and Ghost to a Ghost. I’ve never skipped a Hank III song on shuffle, but I guarantee I’ll be skipping many songs on Long Gone Daddy. This does not represent Shelton, period.

And regarding the contract he signed all those years ago… How many of us have jobs we don’t like and wish we could get out? Most of us take a job for the money, but most of us have the ability to quit the job if we hate it or it wasn’t what we expected. Being bound by a legal contract, especially for creative people who are constantly changing and evolving, would be hell. And most people at 25 still don’t know who they are yet. Either way, don’t judge. If you don’t like, don’t listen. I’m just happy he’s free, and I’m looking forward to everything he has to offer in the future.

Love Hank 3. FUCK CURB. If his contract states 6 albums that’s what they should get. Being able to own an artists work and remix it a way they would not approve just seems wrong. To tell him something sucks and then release it for a profit is just pure bottom feeding.